Open Access

This master thesis discusses AI technologies and applications such as ChatGPT and their potential implications for professional copywriters. More specifically, this study seeks to clarify whether ChatGPT is a threat to the copywriter's profession or merely serves as a helpful tool in the creative process. The literature review carried out indicates the importance of creativity in advertising and its potential role in influencing consumer perception and behaviour. Thus, the research goal addressed in this study is to compare consumer perceptions of AI-generated and human-written advertising copy in terms of creativity. Based on prior research, it was expected that human intervention has a positive impact on the evaluation of (creative) output (H1). Furthermore, a positive correlation was assumed between attitudes towards (creative) AI and the evaluation of AIgenerated advertising copy (H2). For the purpose of testing these two hypotheses, an online questionnaire survey with a sample of 75 participants was conducted. The results suggest that the first hypothesis cannot be fully supported by the data. Nevertheless, significant differences were found in the evaluation between the two advertising copies. As for the second hypothesis, there seems to be no positive correlation between attitude towards (creative AI) and the evaluation of AI-generated advertising copy. With the EU AI Act still being drafted and some researchers calling for AI-generated content to be labelled, the findings of this study hold scientific and managerial significance by revealing consumer perceptions of AI-generated copy and providing insights for advertising professionals.